Improvement in steam-traps



HIRAM S. MAXIM, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN STEAM-TRAPS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No.1122,272, dated December 26, 1871.

10 all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, HIRAM SMAXIM, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State ot' New York, have invented an Improvement in Steam- Traps; and the following is declared to bea correct description thereof.

The object ot' this invention is to allow the water of condensation to escape from a steamheatii'lg coil or similar apparatus and to shut the valve when the water has blown out. This I effect by means ot' an expansion vessel containin g alcohol or other easily-evaporated liquid, that is expanded by the contact ot' the steam-heat and closes the valve and stops the escape until the apparatus cools sufficiently for the expansive vessel to contract and open the valve.

In the drawing; a vertical section of the said steam-trap is shown.

a is the check-valve closing against the seat b. c is the expansive vessel, made of thin sheet metal in a tlattened form, supported upon bearers d within the case e, and this vessel c contains alcohol or other,'easily-vaporized liquid, so that when steam strikes said vessel c the expansion ot' the liquid vor the formation of vapor shall produce a pressure to spring the sides ot' the case and press the valve a to itsV seat b and close the steam-passage. /Vlien the accumulation ot' wa ter of condensa-tion allows the parts Vto cool sutficiently for the vessel c to collapse or lessen in thickness by the diminished pressure within it, `the valve a is allowed to open for the Water to run out until the heat'again expands the alcohol and its containing-vessel and closes the valve a, as before. The screw-plug o may be employed to close the oriice through which the alcohol is introduced, and this should be sealed up by solder or otherwise. The case e may be made in two parts, screwed together, as shown, and the necessary sockets f and gare provided for the couplings or pipes. In order to prevent any foreign substance passing into the al'iparat-us that might obstruct the valve a, the strainer or wire-gauze It' is introduced within `the cylindrical perforated plu g m that is screwed in from outside and acts to retain any foreign substance. t This plug can be easily removed for cleaning.

This steam-trap is compact, strong, durable, and reliable.` It may be employed to allow water ot' condensation to escape from the cylinder of a steainengine, or under other circumstances, whenever available.

I do not claim a vessel in which the expansion ot' liquid by heat acts on levers and rods to close a valve;A nor an airvalve connected with an expansion vessel.

I claim as my inventionl. The expansible yessel c, resting upon the supports d within the case e, and acting` upon the independent valve a that h'as its seat b at the end ot' the pipe, through' which water' ot' condensa-` tion is delivered into the case eto pass away below the vessel c, as and foi-the purposes settorth. 2. The cylindrical removableplugm and straht er 7c, in combination with' the valve a and expansion vessel c, as and for the purposes set forth. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my signature this 22d day of September, A. D. 157i.

HIRAM S. MAXIM.

Titnesses GEO. T. PINCKNEY, UHAs. H. SMITH. v y (150) 'fr rien.V 

